Graduates Show Appreciation to Dugoni School of Dentistry with $26,000 Class Gift

Class President Will Noh, Dean Ferrillo and Annual Fund Manager Molly Moriarty (left to right) at the Alumni/Graduate Banquet.

June 18, 2012

The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry's most recent graduates have moved on to future endeavors, but not before joining together to give a generous gift to the Pacific Dugoni Annual Fund. With 97.5 percent of its students joining the effort, the Class of 2012 generously gave back to the school and presented a class gift totaling $26,000 at the Alumni/Graduate Banquet on June 8.

A Dugoni School tradition going back many years, the class gift provides graduates the opportunity to thank the many faculty and staff that helped them through dental school, and supports future school initiatives via the Pacific Dugoni Annual Fund.

Some students gave gifts to incentivize their fellow classmates. Class of 2012 graduate Jennifer Silvers and her husband Ben promised to match donations by DDS and IDS group 4 up to $4,000. The group raised $2,282.44, qualifying for a 100% match. Separately, graduate Civon Gewelber and an anonymous donor each contributed $1,000.

Contributions from school leaders and organizations also helped increase the total. The Pacific Dugoni Foundation and the Alumni Association each gave $3,500 toward the class gift, while Dr. Ron Redmond '66 generously gave $4,634.58 to help the class reach its goal of $25,000. Once the goal was met, Dean Patrick J. Ferrillo, Jr. donated an additional $1,000.

Class gift committee student members were Steven Alexander, Kellie Cramm, Christine Fortmann, Greg Gardner, Praj Kamat, Will Noh, Toral Pandya, Kevin Robertson, Lauren Odono and Jennifer Silvers. The committee members worked with their classmates in the months leading up to graduation to secure gifts, bump up participation and ensure the class met its fundraising goal.

The Pacific Dugoni Annual Fund provides the dental school with the flexibility to enhance the institution and support new initiatives without using student tuition. Formerly known as the Dean's Fund for Excellence, the Pacific Dugoni Annual Fund directly benefits students, faculty, staff and patients.

Past uses of the annual fund include the deployment of a new electronic clinic information system, creation of a Central Sterilization Center, installation of digital information monitors around the school, and significant upgrades to the school's oral surgery facility.